Inception

So I watched Inception last week Wednesday, haven't had the time to write my entry, but here goes.

If there was one film I was anticipating this year, more than any other it was this film. It only requires one name and man to make me want to watch it and that name is Christopher Nolan. The first film I watched of his was Memento a psychological detective thriller, told backwards. I film I adore and still talk about when I can. A film he co wrote with his brother. He has done several other films, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige then his most successful film The Dark Knight.

The script was 10 years in the making, started off as a small pitch to the studios, but Nolan decided he needed to get a few films under his belt before making this high concept film. Now with a much higher budget he has gone all out to create an ambitious spectacle. It was Awesome!

It’s a film I would not divulge too much, as I’m always an advocate to know as little as possible before entering a movie. However, I can say it’s like a heist movie, but in people’s dreams. That’s all you need to know, go watch it!

*************SPOILERS*************

So what the hell was all that about then? What was up with the ending? Thank you Nolan, you big tease! Similar to Ridley’s Scott Bladerunner ending, it was left open. In Bladerunner it questioned whether Deckard was a replicant or not. Although it was apparent that the film provided enough clues to determined that he was a replicant, but can still be interpretated that he wasn’t. The choice is ultimately for the viewer to decide, even if the Director Ridley Scott confirmed it, you can still choose to decide otherwise. Inception does something very similar.

Cobb’s totem a spinning top a device to determine whether it’s a reality or a dream, if it spins indefinitely the space Cobb is living is a dream world and not actually reality. The final shot of the movie, where Cobb finally reunites with his kids, after completing a dangerous and mind bending dream inception. He spins the top and is interrupted by his kids, and the camera slowly pans down to the top still spinning, still spinning, keeps on spinning….. a slight wobble? Cut to credits…. ARRRGGHHHH!

I love to think that it is reality when he is reunited with his kids. I know they are wearing the same clothes, they have not aged, but still the totem wobbled!! However if he is still dreaming, my god it opens up to a lot of freaking questions and complex analysis; too much for my brain to handle, but I'll have a go.

Was anywhere in the movie shown to be actual reality? Argument for this is that Cobb’s totem falls a number of times throughout the movie, which suggest this is reality. However this could still be his own dream, as if you think about it, if it’s his dream and only he knows how the top works himself, he can dream whatever he wishes.

There is a theory that Cobb was the actual target and not Fischer, in that it was an attempt to implant an idea into Cobbs mind. What old Saito says at the end about taking a leap of faith, was suggested to him to mirror what happened to Mal, saying you need to kill yourself to wake up. Subtle take of placing the idea, but ultimately failing. If that's the case it could also mean Mal is alive. It could just be that Saito was talking about shooting himself.

Or that Cobb is still in limbo? We didn't actually get to see them shoot themselves and yet they simply woke up. I will need to watch the last few moments again to really see if there are any more clues. The only thing what are for this arguement would be his kids are still in the same clothes and have not aged (at least it's not obvious), and of course the totem was not shown to have completely fallen over.

Saying all this, I believe it is simply reality at the end and not a dream. I prefer it to be simple and not complicate an already deep complex movie. Nolan was just teasing us at the end.
Other things to mention. I like that it was paced like a dream as well, in that there was hardly any pause for thought, my dreams are always fast paced, jumping and sometimes incoherant. At least in this film, there was some focus, but sacrificing character development.

************END SPOILERS************

I don't particularly like Di Caprio, he has been in some great films, but as an actor, I just don't rate him. I can't really get emotionally behind any of his characters. Even Jack in Titanic, I felt was a bit annoying in how he was saying Rose's name. Although I was sad his character died in the end, only through Kate Winslets performance.

Reading some background on Inception. Nolan had wanted to work with the actor for a very long time, so this was the one he chose to do together. I was surprised, considering Nolan seems to work so well with Christian Bale.

The soundtrack, Hans Zimmer is the man, probably the best composer in the history of cinema. There was hardly any silent moments, it was a constant beat throughout the whole movie. I'm in two minds behind constant soundtrack over the movie to allowing for silent moments during speech etc. It works and it doesn't.

Music is to create and play on your emotions. If the music is constant then our emotions are constantly being played. Even during moments of exposition. Now it's no bad thing, but it can be very exhausting, especially considering this is not a short movie. However, considering the nature, complexity and cerebral nature of the movie, the constant soundtrack works. I think there must have been only a few silent moments in the whole movie, like one I particularly remember was just before the mini shock when Ellen Page's character (forgot her name) went to the basement of Cobb's dream. It's actually quite masterful.

There were a few stand out actors, I mean Leo did well I guess. It was the supporting cast that stood out though. Tom Hardy and Jospeh Gordan-Levitt come to mind.
Tom Hardy should be James Bond after Daniel Craig, when it came to his dream it was a bond movie in itself. I will check out Bronson who he stars in, which will show the acting range he has. Joseph Gordan-Levitt although his character was not very well developed, being the point man and the friend to Cobb was all he was. There was still a great performance of just being very straight, calm and damn right cool.

Others actors, such as Ken Wantanbe roles is what Chow Yun Fat should be doing, sigh. I don't know why his choices are so bad, even though his english is so much better. Ellen Page, did well and was looking pretty hot, she's turning into a promoising young star.

I might watch it again, possibly only again at IMAX and that's saying something to watch it again. I mean the only film I've seen twice in the cinema is Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. I did watch War of the Worlds twice, but only cause it was a very dodgy copy on dvd, so I had to go to the cinema to watch it, but I fell asleep in the cinema. :p

Anyway I definitely recommend the film if you hadn't noticed already. I would say the best film this year so far, after Kick Ass, which isn't saying much with regards to 2010 films.

Office Goss

Lots of things to talk and write about over the weekend, as well as updates on some news. I will talk about one thing at a time.

I had leaving drinks after work on Friday at a nearby bar where I worked. One of our colleagues is going back to Australia after 3 years of work here. I haven’t really spoken to him, but having gone to a leaving do the prior week; this one was a much bigger turn out. It was the 2nd time really I have been out with my colleagues. I’m not the type to really socialise at work, but out of work I would let myself go a bit. :)

I learnt a lot of interesting things that night, certain group dynamics, political work ethics and information about colleagues. I’m never the one to engage in conversation and attempt to obviously develop relationships but if someone does, I’d always make conversation and never dismiss anyone. I mean there are obvious people you get along with better than others. I have a natural flexibility to get along with anyone, as what people love to talk about is themselves. You make a joke here and there, ask questions, take interest in what they say and people like you.

When I first started this role, my manager’s main concern was my relationship of a colleague I’d be working along side. This colleague is a woman in her late 40s, and has been working there for over 10 years. My first impressions of her, was that she was nice, professional, talkative and helpful colleague. I never knew exactly what the danger was in working with her. It’s only later I find out why people can see her as difficult to work with. She has tendencies to make big problems out of small things, some of it is no big deal, but she’d make it out as though if certain issues are not sorted it’ll be the end of the world. This is a strength and weakness, as it’s great she cares for her work, but you have to be considerate to other people that they may have more important issues at hand. Anyway we get along fine and for some reason a lot of people are impressed I get along with her. Many were surprised that she went to the leaving do and in the end stayed longer than me. Lol.

Ok the main surprise of the evening, was that I found out one of my colleagues was gay. Although not really that surprising, just the fact that he was married before and then divorced to a woman. The funny thing as well, is that I was talking to him with his newest assistant, who joined us only 2 days ago, so he didn’t know either. He swiftly left us two together, I managed to salvage the situation thankfully. It’s strange how he tried to live a ‘normal’ life but have to live a lie in the process. If I quote Dr House, ‘everybody lies’, I actually believe it’s true. We all lie at some point in our lives and at times we lie to keep up with appearances, keep others happy. I will admit I have done so too, you can call it pride, cowardly, we all do it at some point, because ignorant can be bliss. At times it can just be easier to lie than to deal with the truth. To live out perfect lives is near impossible. So that was a hurdle my colleague went through, I don’t know if he has kids, but I get along with him just fine and we were both able to joke about it after wards.

Also found out one of the managers is truly hated around the office. I mean everyone that works with him hates him. Just the way he acts and manages people. However I get told he bullies his workers, he swears and shouts when he’s alone with his employees, and hardly does any of his work he is suppose to be doing. He’s very small in stature, so I don’t know if it’s some sort of power trip or short man complex. I mean I’m short myself, but he is tiny. I really don’t know why these people act in this sort of way. I think he does play the political office game pretty well to be able to keep whatever he is doing. However, from what I heard, the boss is becoming unhappy, so maybe there will be changes ahead. I hope so for my colleague’s sake, she even asked me if I would like her position. (She works directly underneath this hated man). As she said she is considering finding something else, although I’m off next month it too much to wait, even though the position would be ideal for me in terms of career progression. Thankfully I do not have to work for him, but the times I have conversed with him, he seems ok. Just goes to show how 2 face people can be.

God I’m so tired right now and I’m at work writing this between tasks! Till my next post.

iPhone 4

I wanna it, I wanna it, I wanna it, I wanna it, I wanna it, I wanna it, I wanna it!

Now I’m not an Apple fan boy as such, however I do own an iphone 3G. It was the huge amount of applications, the swish touch interface and simple UI that impressed me to get one. Now 2 years down the line and finally iphone has competition. HTC Desire and the new Samsung Galaxy S are definite contenders to over throw Apple, as now the big problem for the iPhone 4 is the signal issue. Every staff at Apple must only carry the iPhone in their right hand for not to be able to notice this! I mean it baffles me, on how they could have overlooked this problem. Someone must get the sack for this. However, even with this issue, there doesn’t seem much in a decrease in demand for the phone. Is everyone an Apple fanboy? I do admit Apple do release some good looking products, but to justify the price with the goods is just staggering.

Apple = cool. They have some form of marketing gold. It’s one of the hippest tech gadgets to must have, more than the HTC, which is turning into a nerd’s phone. Have you seen the you tube vid taking the piss out of ignorant iPhone buyers?

I don’t reckon it’s far from the truth.

So why would I still want the iPhone 4? Now that my contract is up, I could move to one of the cheaper alternatives. The answer is mainly due to the amount of apps I’ve purchased over the years, feels like I am actually bound to Apple phones now. I will be seeking a different contract provider though, I will be moving to Tescos. A much higher upfront cost, but for only a 12 month contract and at £20 a month, it’s just so much cheaper in the long run. And the fact that it looks absolutely gorgeous. Having done away with the plastic curves, with have nice shiny metallic look. I know some people do not like the square sharp look, but I love it. It makes it look much more modern, glossy and high tech.

I’m not the type to stand outside all night a shop to buy something I can wait for a few weeks time for, even though it had crossed my mind. I have waited patiently to see how Apple react to this debacle. So as of today Apple are going to make an announcement of some kind. There were rumours of a recall, but that would be silly for Apple as they could lose millions in the process. The much simpler solution spoken by many would be to give out free bumpers to all iPhone 4 purchasers. It would still cost them a bit, but not as much as a recall would.

Will probably provide an update about this tomorrow.

New Beginnings

Ok, I'm really liking Blogger, it still reminds me of the old ways of Lycos and the other old free web site hosting services. The difference is the content is much nicer and presented better.

Ok just a quick run down of what's happening in my life. Still single after 2 years from a long distance relationship. Trust me don't do it, unless one of you are committed to live in the others country, it's a freakin' nightmare.

Work wise I'm still studying my professional accounting qualifications and I'm contracting with a large company. Although the contract will expire in August, which I know will not be extended. I was only there to cover the outsourcing that was going on. Now that it's completed and relatively successful, I'm not really required any more. I will look internally for positions, but I don't think there are many going, especially considering a lot have been made redundant due to the outsourcing. Those that have been made redundant should take 1st pickings.

I think I need to look again for more progression anyway, the role I'm currently in was a step back. I took it cause I was getting more experience in using SAP (accounting software) and working for a large multinational organisation.

Trouble is I've booked to go to Hong Kong in September, which could disrupt my job search. It would be amazing if I got something before then and wouldn't mind me going off for 2 weeks. :p I am actually very excited in going to Hong Kong this year! I will blog about this more at a later stage.

Living in London with an awesome flatmate, as she doesn't mind my mess and laziness. You will hear more about her in this blog I'm sure, as well as my other crazy friends.

I will mostly be blogging about my interests as well, such as gaming, Photography, Anime, Manga... well all things Japanese, football (soccer for you Americans) & movies etc. I am going to assume no one is actually reading this, but I will write this blog as though someone is there... anyone...

I think every post should at least deserve a picture, otherwise it is just a wall of text. I have included a picture I took using my SLR. I was trying to get a good macro pic, giving a good amount of focus and blur on the subject. As a key symbolises openings, thought this picture is appropriate for this post.

That'll do for my 2nd intro I suppose. Till I'm next bored.... which will most likely tomorrow at work.

A Brave New World

Ok gonna start my blog.

Use to blog a while back using I think lycos webpage servicing? The time when we had to get free webspace, showing ads and the like. There was a distinct lack of tools and design, and you had to know a little bit of HTML coding, for it to work and look pleasing. Thankfully websites have come along way and provide a much better service for what we require. In this case I will be blogging my mind, link to pages, and upload photos; the usual norm for the average person on the internet.

Gonna try to stay anonymous for now, as I feel like I want to speak what’s really on my mind, as I can be quite a closed person. I have facebook and twitter accounts where I share with my friends, but there are some things you just can’t say on them. This I hope will give me the time to rant, bitch, cry and share my life in whatever I feel like without feeling judged. I love the internet.

However I may change, as I do believe it's best to be transparent, so I'll probably revert to showing my true self at some point.

That’ll do for my intro for now, I will post more and make changes to the design later.